Monday, May 5, 2008

Booze of the Week: EFFEN Black Cherry

Ask your friendly bartender for an EFFEN vodka in the wrong tone of voice and you're likely to get squirted by the well gun. In Dutch "effen" translates as smooth, even and balanced. Imported from Holland, EFFEN vodka is made using a continuous distillation process that distills the vodka hundreds of times before it is bottled. EFFEN Black Cherry is the first flavored vodka to combine natural Black Cherry and Vanilla flavors together. The result is a fresh, contemporary liquid that is light in texture and flavor, suitable for sipping on the rocks with no sticky mixer necessary.

In the manufacturing process, EFFEN vodka uses continuous distillation and is filtered through peat, not charcoal. This process removes all impurities and congeners. Impurities can alter the taste of the distillate and increase the intensity of hangovers. I recently enjoyed several chilled EFFEN martinis - a seriously chatty case of the pleasant warm fuzzies set in with completely no evidence of morning-after blues.

The EFFEN vodka bottle even feels good when you pour it. The rubber sleeve keeps EFFEN vodka cold longer than glass for bottle service and ice-cold martini cocktails.EFFEN vodka is distilled at significantly lower temperatures than other vodkas. This eliminates “caramelization,” an occurrence that yields a harshness and “bite” on the palate. With EFFEN, there is no bitter, wince inducing alcohol flavor at all, in fact it's like a lightly flavored spring water. Delicious.

Of course, Get Out urges you to enjoy alcohol beverages responsibly and walk, cab, or Citylink your way home after a night out.